BLOEMFONTEIN, 31 March 2016 – Boland junior Garrick Higgo made a strong case for a third victory this season, Ross Sinclair kept his title defence on track and Aneurin Gounden rose to ascendancy again at the Nomads SA Boys U-19 Match Play Championship at Bloemfontein Golf Club on Thursday.

Sinclair kept his title defence on track after losing the Stroke Play Championship by a lone shot to Germishuys.

The Gauteng North junior eliminated Wilco Nienaber from Free State 3 & 1 in the first round and thumped Slade Pickering from North West 3 & 2 in round two.

After staving off a strong foreign assault to win the Boys Competition in the Global Junior Golf Tour’s Curro SA Juniors International title in early March, Higgo upstaged some of the country’s top ranked amateurs to claim the ProShop Northern Amateur Match Play title for his first victory on the South African Golf Association Open Amateur circuit.

The 16-year-old De Zalze golfer defeated reigning Nomads SA Boys U-15 champion Jayden Schaper from Ekurhuleni 2 & 1 in round one before he dispatched Reece Haikney from Central Gauteng 5 & 3 to make the final eight.

He will line up against Deon Germishuys from Western Province, who was equally impressive against Gauteng North duo Eric Nel and Otto van Buynder.

The newly minted Stroke Play champion defeated Nel 2-Up and downed 2015 Tshwane Junior Open champion Van Buynder 5 & 4.

KwaZulu-Natal prospects Gounden and Luke Mayo also reached the quarter-finals alongside Bryce Leach from Central Gauteng, Dawid Opperman from Gauteng North and Southern Cape junior Christo Lamprecht.

Gounden from Mount Edgecombe could be the dark horse to watch.

The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation member came agonisingly close to victory in 2013 when he lost the title in a titanic battle to Zander Gous at Benoni Country Club.

Gous held the outright lead midway through the first 18 holes of the 36-hole final and led again at the halfway stage of the second 18 holes, but each time he looked to have the victory sewn up, Gounden mounted a spirited challenge to extend the match.

The Mpumalanga golfer won the match at the 37th hole to become only the third junior after Richard Sterne (1999) and Dylan Frittelli (2008) to win the coveted double in the history of the prestigious championship.

To follow the live scoring from the Quarter-Finals, click HERE

QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Deon Germishuys vs Garrick Higgo
Bryce Leach vs Dawid Opperman
Ross Sinclair vs Anuerin Gounden
Christo Lamprecht vs Luke Mayo

ROUND 2 RESULT
Deon Germishuys beat Otto van Buynder 4 & 3;
Rosswell Sinclair beat Slade Pickering 3 & 2;
Garrick Higgo beat Reece Haikney 5 & 3;
Anuerin Gounden beat Martin Vorster 19th hole;
Bryce Leach beat Therion Nel 1-Up;
Christo Lamprecht beat Eric Wowor 4 & 3;
Dawid Opperman beat Luca Filippi 3 & 1;
Luke Mayo beat Gregory Mckay 1-Up;

ROUND 1 RESULT
Deon Germishuys beat Eric Brett Nel 2-Up;
Otto van Buynder beat Franklin Manchest 2 & 1;
Reece Haikney beat Karabo Mokoena 19th hole;
Garrick Higgo beat Jayden Schaper 2 & 1;
Therion Nel beat Chris Woollam 3 & 2;
Bryce Leach beat Ethan Smith 3 & 2;
Luca Filippi beat Andre van Dyk 1-Up;
Dawid Opperman beat Emilio Pera 4 & 3;
Rosswell Sinclair beat Wilco Nienaber 3 & 1;
Slade Pickering beat Vaughn van Deventer 3 & 2;
Martin Vorster beat Christiaan Burke 1-Up;
Anuerin Gounden beat Dino Capazario 2-Up;
Christo Lamprecht beat Michael Pfeifer 2 & 1;
Eric Wowor beat Sentanio Minnie 3 & 1;
Gregory Mckay beat Kyle De Beer 4 & 2;
Luke Mayo beat Brandon Gildenhuys 1-Up;

PHOTO – Garrick Higgo, Ross Sinclair and Aneurin Gounden; credit Ernest Blignault.